Fatal Exchange

by Cindy M. Hogan

  And when he pulled up to the huge black doors that opened to allow cars inside the compound, he had to wait because the bulletproof glass guard shack was empty. I pulled the car over to the side of the road about a half a block from the residence to watch. There was no one to radio to security to let him in. He honked and then honked again.

  “If nothing else, he’s persistent.” I chuckled.

  Finally, a guard in full regalia came out to greet him. I had no idea what was said, but Marco slammed his hands on the steering wheel and peeled out of the short driveway.

  Marco cruised around the corner. I started the car and followed him, but was forced to drive past the road he’d turned on because he had pulled to the curb just around the corner. Light from a cell phone lit up his face. So far he had obviously been driven by anger and was not even considering the idea that he was being followed. Now I couldn’t risk that he would start paying attention and realize a suspicious car had been following him. We drove a few blocks and swapped the Peugeot for a black BMW sedan. It took me two minutes to override the security using my phone. I worried it’d been too long, but I thought we needed to have a fast, reliable car.

  When we circled around to where Marco’s car should have been standing, it was gone. It was my turn to slap my steering wheel. I drove around past the glass guard shack entrance to the Prime Minister’s residence and was surprised to see a car leave the “hotel” and turn the way we’d just come. I took the next street and made an abrupt U-turn to follow that car. It didn’t hold any official markings, but the car leaving the Prime Minister’s residence before five in the morning after what we’d seen Marco do was too suspicious.

  The question was, was it the Prime Minister, and was he going to meet up with Marco? Was I about to get my hands on the drive and put a nail in the coffin of the pickpockets?

  We followed at an extremely safe distance not wanting to risk detection. Light had just started to fill the sky, and any stars that had been visible, were no longer. “Did you ever hear anything about political leaders being involved with your boss?”

  “No.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. But I was low on the totem pole. I wouldn’t have known anything. Do you think the Prime Minister is somehow involved with the pickpocket gangs?”

  “You know,” I said, continuing to follow the other car, “after being here four months and watching pickpockets get away with so much, I wondered why the government hadn’t cleaned up the city. Now I understand. The Prime Minister is sanctioning the pickpockets, and who knows what else, and filling his bank account at the same time. And this drive is going to help me prove it.”

  He shook his head and sighed. “A man with that kind of power and connections, you are nuts if you think we can do anything about it. You should get on that phone of yours and call in reinforcements.”

  The car pulled off the main road. I sped up. “No. The director would call me back and then spend too much time wringing her hands. I know her. She’s terrified to go after the Prime Minister.” I couldn’t keep the bitterness from my voice. “No, if he’s going to be stopped, I’m going to have to do it.”

  Once we turned the corner, we saw the car’s red brake lights shine and then turn off as it pulled into a little inlet at Champ de Mars, the park butting up to the Eiffel Tower. It had pulled up next to none other than Marco’s car. We inched up the street, still a block away. Marco got out of his car and jumped into the Prime Minister’s. When he did, the lights turned on for a good two seconds, and I was able to confirm the identity of the Prime Minister and watch Marco put a box into Alden’s hands.

  It also confirmed to me at that moment who Marco sold his digital information to. The Prime Minister himself. He was double dipping. He was probably receiving bribes from the various pickpocket gangs on the front end, and on the back end he was using the information he bought from Marco to do all kinds of nefarious activities that I could only guess at. The power of this one man as an underworld mob boss was incredible, and he was operating as the second most powerful man in France.

  Chapter 21

  I pulled binoculars out of my go bag and tried to lip read the conversation using the light from the park lights. Prime Minister Alden and Marco sat in the back seat of the big car. The driver sat attentive in the front seat. It was obvious that Alden and Marco were angry, but I couldn’t make out what was being said. Was Marco mad about getting a drive that was tracked? Did he think the Prime Minister could somehow stop that? He opened the box and shook it. Metal and color glinted in the sparse light. Flash drives.

  “Did you give him the drives in a box?”

  Kamal nodded. I handed him the binoculars.

  “Is that the box?”

  “I think so. Marco just got out of the car.”

  “How many were in the box?”

  “Twenty. There should be eighteen now that he threw out two.”

  This was it. Not only was I about to get my hands on the drive, I was also about to expose the Prime Minister for the evil man he was and hopefully release Paris from the strangling grip of the pickpockets. This would be like taking candy from a baby. “Kamal, would you like to help?”

  “With what?”

  “I need someone to document the confession of the Prime Minister.” I smiled.

  “I don’t know.”

  “All you have to do is put this phone on Record, get a good picture of the Prime Minister and record his voice as I get him to confess. No biggie.”

  “You mean I’d have to be in close proximity to Marco and the Prime Minister? Are you nuts? I’d like to live to be with Marni, thank you. I’m out.”

  I nodded. Fair enough. “You’re just going to have to act as my lookout then. I’ll have my phone on Record as I walk up to the car. If you spot a problem, then call me.” I changed the phone’s ringtone to one of me yelling, “Get out! Get out!” I laughed.

  Kamal still looked through the binoculars. “Uh, Marco just drove away.”

  It was time. I checked the area and found my calm spot after saying a heartfelt prayer for courage to do what was necessary. Deep heat spread throughout my chest.

  I slinked my way over to the car and grinned when I saw the Prime Minister had neglected to relock the doors after Marco had climbed out. Too bad everything couldn’t be so easy. I yanked the door open and flew into the car, my gun on the temple of the Prime Minister before he could even register my presence. I recognized two things right off the bat. Number one, the red light was flashing on my phone, letting me know the conversation was being recorded. Number two, in the ashtray, a small fire burned what used to be a flash drive. I was too late. I wouldn’t be able to retrieve the information.

  “So you’re the one who’s been giving me heart attacks. You’re such a little thing.”

  “It doesn’t matter that the drive is gone,” I said. “I know what was on it. I know you’re helping the pickpockets.”

  He leaned back. Next thing I knew, something was coming right at me. I lifted my arms to cover my face. The box of drives hit my arms and drives flew everywhere. Now Alden had a gun pointed at me.

  “Go ahead my dear, drop your weapon or you die.”

  I had no doubt he’d use it. I let my gun drop to the floorboards.

  He told the driver to get going. “We need somewhere less visible and accessible, with a nice spot to dispose of a body.”

  A trickle of fear passed through me, but I shrugged it off knowing Kamal was watching what was happening. He’d follow us. Then I remembered pocketing the keys to the car he waited in. He would see me leave, but would not be able to help. He didn’t know how to contact Division. Fine. If I was going to die, I had to at least find out if I had been right. Maybe I’d get a chance to send a recording to Division and they would get the Prime Minister anyway. I had to stay on target. I needed to get him to talk.

  “I don’t get it,” I said. “As Prime Minister you earn great money.”

  “There�
�s never enough money and never enough power.”

  He liked the power of it? This was about to get easier. People like him liked to boast, so I’d get him to boast. “Why did you kidnap my shadow and me?”

  “Oh, that’s an easy one. I figured you had the drive or that you’d given it to someone. I wanted it back.” He chuckled. “I should have known you didn’t have it or you would have used it against me already, blackmail, you know. A miscalculation on my part.

  “Yes. The second Marco had the drive, he called me. You see, I’m much too powerful for a little girl like you to bring down.” He wanted me to know he had always been a step ahead and had the upper hand. I’d let him keep talking, burying himself. “You did give it a noble, valiant effort. It simply wasn’t enough.”

  I wanted to wipe the smug look off him. The driver pulled onto the main road.

  “Too bad I can’t keep you around. You wouldn’t want to change sides, would you?” He’d started getting comfortable with me and was waving his gun around as he talked instead of holding it steady. I let my shoulders slump a little too, to encourage his relaxation, but also to give me access to my knife. Now I needed the right moment.

  “You know, I saw the feed of you escaping my men. You were pretty good. Last chance to join me. I’m sure I’d pay you better than whatever agency you are working for.” He smiled and rested the gun on his lap. I gripped the knife tight in my hand and stabbed him in the leg and took his gun from him in two seconds flat. Prime Minister Alden screamed out in pain and clutched at his leg as a large spot of blood blossomed on his pants. I pointed the gun at the driver’s head, and told him to pull over. I retained the knife in my left hand.

  “So, Prime Minister,” I said in the most mocking tone I could manage in the French language, “Would you like to bind that wound?”

  He nodded.

  “Well, tell me what a bad little boy you’ve been. I want every last detail. But do it quickly.” I stabbed the air with the bloody knife, directing it toward Alden.

  He didn’t speak, so I added, “A cut like that, bleeding like that, you could be dead in a few minutes. Do you believe in the afterlife? Judgment and all that jazz?”

  He didn’t speak. Sweat dripped along his hairline. I pressed the knife to his cheek and he yelled out, “Okay! Okay! Yes, I hired those men to kill you. I couldn’t have you messing with the pickpockets.”

  “What were their names?”

  “Adolphe and Cardwell, among others.”

  “How did you pay them?”

  “I paid them as security consultants.”

  “And why couldn’t you have me messing with your pickpockets?”

  I kept an eye on the driver as he looked through the rearview mirror, flashing him a menacing look here and there to let him know he wasn’t safe either. Prime Minister Alden’s face was pale, and copious amounts of sweat dotted his face and neck. His hands pressed hard on his injured leg, blood pouring through his fingers.

  “Can’t you see this man needs a hospital?” the driver yelped.

  “Minister?” I said, pushing the knife even harder into his cheek, drawing blood.

  His whole body shuddered “Yes! I was taking bribes. They would bring them every second Wednesday with a bouquet of flowers delivered to my office.”

  “So, I guess what I’m hearing is that you profit on the front and back end of the pickpockets’ activities, Prime Minister. Is this true?” My heart pounded.

  He nodded.

  “I didn’t hear you.” I glanced quickly at the phone. The red light still blinked.

  “Yes.” He exhaled hard.

  He had spilled the beans. All of them. I slipped my knife back in its holder near my ankle and pulled out my phone. “Thank you for that.” I waved the phone in front of him, so he could see I had been recording, and then I jumped out of the car.

  Luckily, we’d only driven a few blocks. I stole a black bullet bike just down the road.

  Chapter 22

  I blind texted Kamal as I drove, telling him to be ready to jump on the bullet bike that was about to swing by the car he was sitting in. He did. We were gone in a flash, passing an ambulance that was most likely heading for the Prime Minister. They were quick. In my rearview mirror, I could see two police officers standing on the driver’s side of the car and someone on the other, wildly gesticulating. It did surprise me that no one seemed to be following us. I calmed myself and reached out, making sure I wasn’t letting the excitement and craziness of what just happened keep me from noticing tails or danger.

  Once we were far enough away, I blindfolded Kamal and took him in to the interrogation wing of Division HQ, had someone bring him some food and water as well as a blanket, and then removed the blindfold.

  He blinked hard and looked around the room before zeroing in on me. “Is she here?”

  “I don’t know.” I didn’t want to give him any false hope of Marni’s whereabouts and left it at that. “But it shouldn’t be long before you know.” I sighed. “And, I think it only fair to tell you that I may not be able to come and see you again. I just might lose my job after this little stunt.” I slapped my hands on my thighs and stood up. “In any case, I wanted to thank you for helping me get the drive. You’re a good guy, Kamal. You’re set now, and I’m happy for you and Marni. I hope you have a great future together.”

  He closed his eyes and curled his bottom lip over his teeth. I stood to go.

  He reached out and took my wrist. “Thank you.”

  I smiled at him, “I hope you never let desperation make you a criminal again. Many never get second chances in life.”

  “No worries there.”

  Once outside Kamal’s interrogation room, I took a deep breath and headed straight for Siron. No, I hadn’t retrieved the drive. It was gone forever, but I may have gotten something even better, right from the horse’s mouth. A confession in all its beauty. Siron would still probably be completely irate and send me to Division Central with a terrible ding to my record for insubordination, but I didn’t care. All I wanted was justice for Dufor, which I would get with this recording.

  Siron was in her office on her phone. When she saw me, she waved me in and hung up. This was it.

  “Shut the door, please,” Siron said.

  I didn’t want to let Siron prevent me from telling her everything, so I started in before the door was even shut. “Kamal is in a holding cell. I told him he would get the money that would have gone to Dufor had he not been killed, for him and Marni to get set up somewhere safe.”

  “All right,” Siron said in a much too calm voice. What was going on?

  “I believe the Prime Minister is at a hospital somewhere.”

  I held out my phone for Siron to take. “I recorded a full confession from him on my phone.”

  “Keep it,” Siron said.

  “But—”

  “No!” Siron said, cutting me off. “It’s your turn to listen to me.”

  I closed my mouth.

  “We heard everything that happened. We used your phone.”

  “Wait. What?” Then it occurred to me what they’d done.

  “So, that was how Summer did it. She tapped my phone.”

  She nodded. A myriad of feelings washed over me. I felt violated, but also glad and mad. But mostly relieved. Then I remembered what I’d said about Siron to Kamal and a furious blush hit my face. I was dead.

  “Agent Hadden, while I would have done things differently, you showed remarkable skill and ingenuity and that must be commended. Especially considering all the obstacles you had to face. Paris owes you a lot. While the pickpockets won’t totally disappear, they will be severely crippled. Perhaps the police will have a chance of eradicating them.

  “The Prime Minister will be taken care of by our men so there can be no chance of corruption. The connection between him and the President is also being scrutinized to see if the President knew about what the Prime Minister was doing. I’m hoping the public was confusing the Prime Mini
ster’s corrupt actions for that of the President. Not only will the Prime Minister be finished with politics, but hopefully, he will be in jail for a very long time and everyone will know what he did.

  “And, Paris will be a safer place for people to be. Maybe I’ll even be able to keep my belongings from now on.” She chuckled.

  I’d never seen Siron laugh, let alone chuckle. It was nice.

  “Rosabella has asked to be transferred back to Italy. I’ve known for some time that she wanted to go back home, but she’s so good, I didn’t want to lose her. She deserves it, though, don’t you think?”

  I nodded.

  “And, I’m sure you’ll be happy to know Summer has returned to her training in Germany. I know there’s more to the story of you two. Maybe one day you’ll trust me enough to tell it to me.” She raised her eyebrows. I said nothing. I wouldn’t even tell Jeremy this little secret.

  “As for the rest of your team, it’s still being worked out. I hope you’ll be happy in the end. I know you are anxious to move on.”

  “Thank you, Director.”

  She nodded. “Now, I do believe you have a hospital full of team members who would love to see you and hear the latest.”

  “Thank you, Director,” I said again, and left.

  ***

  Finally, Halluis and Ace were getting their prize as we sat in a café in Montmartre near the Sacré-Cœur two days later. The view seemed to stretch on forever, the Eiffel tower appearing small in the distance.

  “Wouldn’t you say this was worth it?” Halluis held out his eight-euro soda as he looked over the beautiful city.

  I nodded. My rich dinner left me feeling satisfied and relaxed. “You were right. It is worth it. Nothing compares with this. In America, the waiter would have been dragging us out of the restaurant by now. It’s been what? Two hours?” I tapped my glass into his and then Jeremy and Ace joined in.